An open letter from Gary Raymond
In an appearance before Judge Frank Marullo on Feb. 13, 1996, I was held in contempt of court and sentenced to six months in jail for turning over to the federal Assassination Records Review Board transcripts of testimony before the Orleans Parish Grand Jury taken in connection with former District Attorney Jim Garrison's investigation into the murder of President John F. Kennedy. I admitted to the allegation made by the current DA, and I would appreciate the opportunity to tell the citizens of New Orleans why.
In late 1974 or early 1975, I was ordered by Orleans Parish District Attorney Harry Connick to destroy grand Jury records of Garrison's investigation into the Kennedy assassination. I felt then and I feel now that to have obeyed that order would have been a violation of my oath as a police officer.
I was in the process of destroying outdated, non-essential grand jury transcripts of testimony taken in investigations as far back as the mid-1950's when I came across those in connection with the prosecution of Clay Shaw. Certain Mr. Connick would want them preserved, I packed them separately. On one of his visits to the storage area where the records were temporarily retained. I showed him the box of Kennedy material. I can only describe his behavior as some kind of bizarre outrage. He demanded immediate removal of the records from the building and destruction of them. They spent several days in the trunk of my car as I made several attempts to get him to reconsider the order. He was adamant about the destruction. I discussed the matter with several others in the office to no avail.
I had three alternatives: (1) destroy the documents as ordered (2) deliver the box to Connick's office and tell him to have someone else do it; or (3)personally retain them, thereby preventing destruction.
I opted for No. 3 and retained them for about 21 years.
I was absolutely delighted to learn about the passage of the law known as the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992. Passage of this legislation was directly attributed to the movie JFK, which was Hollywood's version of Mr. Garrison's investigation.
Everything I heard and read about the law led me to believe it empowered the investigative arm it created, the
Assassination Records Review Board, with far-reaching authority to unseal and make public any and all records
conducted by any and all investigative agencies despite other laws or court orders that mandated secrecy.
The first I head about the ARRB's presence in town was during a 10 p.m. newscast early in July 1995. I was amazed to see an excerpt of Connick's testimony to the panel, expressing "shock" at taking office in 1974 and subsequently learning that Mr. Garrison's records had been "pilfered" by Mr. Garrison or members of his staff. I was numbed. Not only was Connick lying to the panel about the missing records, he was blaming their disappearance on a man no longer about to defend himself.
But who could I call at 10:15 p.m.?
I spent considerable time trying to locate a phone number for the board in Washington. I got nowhere. I then called Mr. Richard Angelico of WDSU TV and informed him of the situation and asked for his help.
He called me back and told me the board was anxious to get the records and was concerned about the fact that Mr. Connick had lied. He gave me a name and number in Washington. However, I did not want to become embroiled in what I suspected would become a heated confrontation between Connick and the board, and I asked Mr. Angelico if he would get the documents to the board for me. He said he would and would protect my anonymity.
My intent was three-fold: (1) I could finally get rid of the records; (2) I could offer some small defense for [the late] Mr. Garrison; and (3) the records would be in the hands of an agency which could protect and preserve them.
Mr. Angelico lived up to his end of the bargain. I got the records to him knowing full well that no provision of Louisiana law prohibits him from having them once I gave them to him. He got them to the Review Board and apparently had a little journalistic fun with Harry Connick, who was embarrassed. He deserved to be.
Only a foolish man would order the destruction of those records. Only a fool would have destroyed them.
Gary R. Raymond
http://jfklancer.com/Garrison.html